Toronto man arrested in Quebec on New York terror plot

Canadian and American investigators have arrested a man accused of trying to enter the United States illegally to carry out a terrorist attack against Jewish communities in New York City on behalf of the Islamic State group.

20-year-old Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, aka Shahzeb Jadoon, was detained Wednesday in Ormstown, Quebec, 12 miles from the US border. US officials said the suspect, a Pakistani national living near Toronto, was planning a rifle attack against Israel on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack or on Oct. 11, the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.

He planned the attack with two men he did not know were undercover agents, according to a statement released by the FBI on Friday. He asked undercover agents to get AR-type rifles, ammunition and hunting knives for an attack. Prosecutors say the suspect paid a human trafficker to get him across the U.S. border. Officials say that in messages he sent to undercover agents, “New York is perfect [sic] to target Jews because of its relatively large Jewish population.” “If our plan succeeds, this will be the largest attack on US soil since 9/11,” he said, referring to the September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attack.

“Nearly a year after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel, the defendant was determined to kill Jews in the United States,” said FBI Director Christopher Way. The suspect is scheduled to appear before the Montreal court on September 13.